Tightening device for sagging mattresses.



VNn. 655,584. Patented Aug. x4, |900. M. BUNNELL.

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SAGGING MATTRESSES.

(Application led Nov. 16, 1899.]

(No Model.)

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rATEs PATENT OFFICE@ MASS BUNNELL, OF TUCKER, UTAH.

TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR SAGGING MATTRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,684, dated August 14, 1900. Application led November 16, 1899- Seral No. 737,161. (No model.)

'To @ZZ wir/0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, MASS BUNNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tucker, in the county of Utah and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tension Devices for Woven- Wire Mattresses; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to an improved tension device for taking up the sag or slack in woven-wire mattresses.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and effective device for taking up thesag' or slack in the mattress due to the expansion of the coils caused by use.

To this end the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the device, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is 'a perspective view of my improved tension device for woven-wire mattresses. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the application ofthe device.

In the drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention.

l denotes a clamp, one of the jaws of which is provided with the usual thumb-screw 2 and the other with an elongated face-plate 3 to form a broad bearing on the side rail of the mattress-frame.

4 denotes a crank-shaft, the free end of which is threaded to engage a bearing on the rear face of said face-plate Bof the clamp l.

5 denotes a carriage formed with parallel lugs 6 6, which encompass the shafts between its threaded end and its handle, which carriage moves with said shaft 4 when the latter is rotated in its bearings. This carriage is formed with an integral knee 7 and with an integral clamping-jaw 8, which latter is provided with the usual thumb-screw 9 near its free end.

The manner of using the device is to adjust it to the mattress-frame, as shown in Fig. 2, with the clamp l secured to the side rail and the carriage 5 secured to the end rail, the knee 7 resting against the innerlower edge of the end rail, while the jaw 8 encompasses the outer edge of the latter rail and is held in place by the thumb-screw 9. rIhe bolt connecting the side and end rails is now slackened up and the crank-shaft rotated, so as to move the knee 7 away from the clamp l. The 'screw 9 holds the movable end rail in the seat formed between the integral knee 7 and the jaw S, the thumb-screw 9 lengaging the upper face of said end rail. The point of the thumb-screw 9, seated near the point of the jaw 8 on said carriage 5, is turned down into engagement with the previously-loosened end rail of the mattress-frame and is firmly connected by said operation with said end rail. The crank-shaft 4L is loosely mounted in the depending lugs 6 6 of said carriage 5 and is prevented from moving longitudinally therein by set-screws passed through screw-seats in said depending lugs 6 6, the points of said setscrews entering circularly-disposed grooves in said crankshaft 4 at points encompassed by said depending lugs 6 6 to permit said crank to be revolved, as above described. The threaded portion of the crankshaft-t entersa threaded bearing on the rear face of the face-plate 3 of the clamp l, the outer jaw of which is provided near its point with a thumb-screw 2, which when the device is in use is turned up to secure the clamp l to the previously-loosened side rail of the mattressframe, so that when the crank-shaft 4 is revolved in the direction for tightening the sagging mattress the end rail will be moved outward toward the end of said side rail until the sagging mattress has been sufficiently tightened, after which the bolt which holds the. end rail upon the side rail should be tightened to secure said end rail in its adjusted position. This operation has a tendency to draw the end rail outwardly on the side rail, and when the proper degree of tension has been applied to the wire bottom the bolt connecting the end and side rails is then tightened up and the device removed.

Of course it is understood that the end of the side rail is slotted to receive the bolt, so as to provide for the adjustment of the end rail in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

It will of course be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacico ricing any of the advantages of this inven tion. y

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

In a tightening device for sagging Wovenwire mattresses, the combination with the clamp l provided With a face-plate 3 having a threaded seat thereinA on its inner jaw and a thumb-screw 2 in its outer jaw of ythe car! riage 5 provided with the integral knee '7, the integral clamping jaW 8 provided With a thumb-screw 9 near its point, `the depending lugs 6 6 provided with thumb-screws at its ends; and the crank-shaft 4 provided with the threaded end in engagement with the threaded seat in said face-plate 3, and having en circlingy grooves between its crank and its threaded end for receiving the points of thumb-screws seated in said depending lugs 6 6 for permitting rotary motion of said crankshaft in said depending lugs and preventing longitudinal movement of said crank-shaft in said depending lugs 6 6; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses. y. y

Y M. BUNNELL. Witnesses:

Mrs. H. EARLE, J. T. WILCOX. 

